SAFA Mopani Regional President Vincent Ramphao has officially endorsed Sandile Zungu’s campaign for the SAFA presidency, arguing that South African football requires a new direction under different leadership.
Zungu will contest the presidency against incumbent Danny Jordaan at SAFA’s elective congress on 12 September, where delegates will choose the association’s next leader.
Ramphao, who is also a member of SAFA’s National Executive Committee (NEC), said the organisation has reached a point where leadership renewal is necessary.
“A good dancer knows when to leave the stage,” Ramphao remarked.
“In our view, the time has arrived for change. Sandile Zungu should be given the opportunity to unite South African football and drive its development.”
According to Ramphao, he has consistently raised concerns within SAFA’s leadership structures but believes those concerns were ignored.
“I have repeatedly expressed my views and raised issues, but nothing changed. That is why I believe Sandile Zungu is the right person to improve the state of football in South Africa,” he said.
Ramphao also rejected claims that Zungu is ineligible to stand for the SAFA presidency under the association’s constitution.
Some critics have argued that presidential candidates must have served within SAFA structures for a specified period before qualifying for office. Ramphao, however, said Zungu satisfies that requirement through his approximately eight years of service on SAFA’s Remuneration Committee (REMCO).
Questions have further been raised over Zungu’s position as chairman of AmaZulu FC, but Ramphao said the matter presents no obstacle to his candidacy.
He added that Zungu has indicated his willingness to relinquish his role at AmaZulu if doing so is required to comply with SAFA’s constitutional provisions.
The relationship between club ownership and the SAFA presidency has previously been a contentious issue. Former Orlando Pirates FC chairman Irvin Khoza also faced constitutional hurdles when pursuing ambitions to lead the national association.
Zungu’s campaign received another boost after SAFA vice-president Bennett Bailey withdrew from the presidential contest to back his candidacy.
Bailey has insisted that Zungu’s service on SAFA’s Remuneration Committee makes him constitutionally eligible to run. He has also claimed that the campaign has secured support in all nine provinces, although the level of backing differs across regions.
Although many SAFA regions have yet to publicly reveal their preferred candidates, Mopani has become one of the first regions nationally—and the first in Limpopo—to openly declare its support for Zungu.
No SAFA region has publicly endorsed Jordaan’s re-election bid, despite widespread expectations that the incumbent continues to enjoy considerable support within the association.
With the elective congress approaching, the presidential race is shaping up to be one of SAFA’s most competitive contests in years as delegates prepare to decide the future leadership of South African football.